Caudwell Marine is an innovative start-up engineering company, financially backed by John Caudwell, entrepreneur, business leader and philanthropist. We are developing a revolutionary patented outboard motor and Vessel Control System for launch in 2025. As a growing and dynamic team, we are passionate about bringing this cutting-edge technology to market. At Caudwell Marine, every team member plays a vital role in shaping the future of our product. With a collaborative and hands-on approach, we foster an environment of mutual support, where each person’s expertise drives the success of our ambitious plan. Reporting into the Head of Research & Development, the Test Facilities Manager at Caudwell Marine, you will lead the day-to-day operations of the Test Support Team, fostering a high-performing, collaborative environment that supports rigorous testing and development activities. Working closely with the Test & Development Manager, you’ll ensure that test schedules are fully resourced and aligned with strategic objectives. Key Responsibilities Oversee the day-to-day management of workshop activities, ensuring efficient task planning, resource allocation, and adherence to schedules, while tracking and driving performance against key operational KPIs including test throughput, skipper/crew/technician productivity, and equipment utilisation. Provide day-to-day leadership of the Test Support Team, fostering cross-functional collaboration and building a cohesive, high-performing unit. Collaborate closely with the Test & Development Manager to ensure test schedules are clearly understood and adequately resourced with the appropriate skills and capabilities. Establish and maintain consistent, effective communication channels across internal teams and external stakeholders to the Lowestoft site, ensuring clarity of goals, tasks, and action plans on a daily, weekly, and strategic basis. Ensure all resources, equipment, and infrastructure are in place to support current and future testing activities. Maintain rigorous health and safety standards through daily coordination with the H&S Manager whom you share matrix responsibility. Lead recruitment, retention, and development initiatives to build a skilled and capable team. Maximise test availability by minimising downtime through proactive planning, preventative maintenance, and rapid response to equipment or facility issues. Ensure sufficient availability of trained skippers, crew, and technicians to support all aspects of testing on-site, off-site, and at sea. Identify and manage third-party service providers where internal testing facilities or capabilities are unavailable. Define and implement the site strategy, including the tools, plant, equipment, and support staff required to deliver the testing requirements. Support a structured approach to issue resolution Work in partnership with the Test & Development Manager and Senior Development Engineers to identify and eliminate roadblocks to testing, enhancing internal processes and reducing delays. Oversee compliance and operational readiness of all sea vessels in collaboration with crew and HSE Lead, ensuring adherence to all relevant coding and safety regulations. Contribute to the planning and execution of competitor benchmarking activities, ensuring meaningful data collection and comparison. Liaise effectively with all internal departments to ensure test facility requirements are clearly understood and consistently met. Manage performance of the team through structured feedback, recognition of high performance, and appropriate intervention for underperformance. Drive continuous improvement by refining and embedding operational processes, ensuring best practices are standardised and sustained across the facility e.g. 5S Experience & Qualifications Relevant engineering degree or equivalent experience Strong technical leadership experience in a similar role Experience within a Marine or Automotive product development environment Excellent ability to understand technical issues from a Product and Facility perspective Ability to communicate externally & internally at all levels, with focus on technical items Relationship builder and capable of building high performance teams Process driven Personal Attributes: Demonstrates the highest level of integrity in all actions and decisions. A confident and capable leader who leads by example and inspires others. Strong character and relationship-building skills, with the ability to foster trust and collaboration across teams. Results-oriented with a focused, proactive, and 'can-do' attitude. Willing and able to travel as required by the role. Driven and determined to achieve key outcomes and exceed expectations. Excellent analytical and problem-solving abilities. Highly organised with strong planning and time management skills. Other Location: Lowestoft / On-site Salary: Negotiable - depending on background and experience Disclaimer: Caudwell Marine operates a Preferred Supplier List (PSL) for recruitment agencies, which is currently not under review. Agencies not on our PSL are kindly requested to refrain from submitting speculative CVs or contacting our hiring managers or employees directly regarding recruitment matters. Please note that any CVs submitted by non-PSL agencies, whether speculative or otherwise, will be treated as unsolicited.